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Mortgage for a micro-studio in Poland: is there a minimum floor area?

Can you get a Polish mortgage for a studio under 25 m²? The 25 m² rule in Polish building law, flat or commercial unit, and what to check before you pay a reservation fee.

KredytPolska editorial team
Updated:

In short

A mortgage for a micro-studio (mikrokawalerka) is possible, but the bank first checks what you are buying. There is no single minimum floor area for all banks: each bank sets its own internal rules and usually does not publish them. What matters most is the status in the land and mortgage register. A legally separate flat under 25 m² in an older building can be financed like any flat, while a commercial unit fitted out as a studio is financed as a commercial unit, with a higher down payment.

Is there a minimum size for a mortgage

No law sets a minimum floor area for a mortgage. Each bank decides itself and keeps its thresholds in internal rules for assessing collateral, which it usually does not publish. The bank looks at the legal status of the unit, its value and how easy it would be to sell, and the loan amount, which for a cheap studio can be close to the bank’s minimum loan.

Where the 25 m² rule comes from

Since 1 January 2018 Polish building regulations require a new flat to have at least 25 m² of usable floor area. Some developers then started selling smaller units as commercial premises. Since 1 August 2024 a new commercial unit must also have at least 25 m², except on the first or second above-ground storey with its own entrance from outside, and buildings permitted before that date. The rules do not apply retroactively: an 11, 14 or 18 m² flat in an older building can be a legal, separate residential unit.

Four kinds of micro-studio

  • Flat under 25 m² in an older building: recorded as a residential unit, so a normal mortgage is possible; the size threshold depends on the bank.
  • Commercial unit fitted out as a studio: financed as a commercial unit, usually with a higher down payment and margin, and 23% VAT instead of 8% when bought from a developer.
  • Apartment in an aparthotel or condohotel: many banks do not finance them at all.
  • Room in a divided flat: usually a share in one larger flat with one land register, not a separate unit.

What to check before a reservation

Check section I of the land and mortgage register (księga wieczysta) to see whether it is a residential unit and its floor area, the developer’s prospectus and contract, and, for a unit created by dividing a larger flat, the certificate of independence of the unit (zaświadczenie o samodzielności lokalu). Ask the bank whether it finances a unit of this size and status before you pay a reservation fee or deposit.

The full description in Polish: Kredyt na mikrokawalerkę.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum flat size for a mortgage in Poland?

There is no single threshold for all banks. Each bank sets it in internal rules and usually does not publish them, so ask about the specific unit before you reserve it.

Can I get a mortgage for a studio under 25 m²?

Yes, if it is a legally separate residential unit with its own land register, for example in an older building. Some banks have an internal minimum size or value.

Is a micro-apartment a flat?

Not always. A unit sold as commercial premises stays commercial even if it looks like a studio, and the bank finances it as a commercial unit.

Sources

  1. Regulation on technical conditions for buildings, § 94 (Polish)
  2. Journal of Laws 2024 item 474: commercial units of at least 25 m² from 1 August 2024 (Polish)
This guide describes general rules and typical bank practice as of October 2026. Details

It is not legal or tax advice and not a bank offer. Each bank sets its own criteria, and the lending decision is always made by the bank.

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